The Gathering
by Orion nine
Summary: When two corrupt businessmen unleash a mystical evil they cannot possibly hope to control upon the world, it's up to an elite team of magic users to come together in order to fight magic with magic. Work in progress.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

In a candlelit, incense-filled room at the back of a small shop in San Francisco, an exotic looking woman sits at an antique table and lays seven tarot cards face down upon a silk tablecloth. Her name is Madame Xanadu and to her all that was, is, and especially all that will be, is as clear as the crystal ball that sits on the shelf next to her. With the delicate grace of someone who has all the time in the world, she flips the first of the cards over.

The High Priestess.

"Henley Reeves," says Madame Xanadu, touching the card gently and closing her eyes in order to see things more clearly. "Escape artist, dreamer, bleeding heart."

She flips the second card.

The Lover.

"J. Daniel Atlas," she says as she grazes the card with her fingertips. "Illusionist, cocksure, arrogant, but skilled."

She flips the third.

Death.

"Jack Wilder," she says. "Young, quick, but like death herself, humble and patient."

The fourth card.

The Hermit.

"Merritt McKinney. Mentalist. Wise, experienced, perceptive."

Madame Xanadu sighs.

"And now," she says as she flips the fifth card, "Who shall lead these four horsemen into battle?"

The Fool.

"Dylan Rhodes," she says. "A man of mystery, deception, and cunning, whose blood runs as cold as ice and yet at the same time burns with a fiery passion. As well as…."

She flips the sixth card.

The Bateleur

"I can't say I'm surprised to see you here," says Madame Xanadu, allowing herself a rare smile. "But who, or what, could possibly warrant such a magical alliance as this?"

She flips the seventh and final card.

The Devil.

Her eyes flutter and a gust of wind suddenly blows through the windowless room, extinguishing all the candles in it leaving Madame Xanadu in darkness.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Your six o' clock is here to see you, Mr. Luthor," said a nasally woman's voice over a small, high tech intercom sitting on an ornate granite desk.

Lex Luthor reached over from his Corinthian leather office chair and pressed a small red button on the intercom.

"Thank you, Miss Teschmacher, send him in," he said. His voice was deep and smooth and full of a businessman's charm.

Any charm he had, however, was purely superficial, much like his well groomed appearance and cultured manner. From an early age Lex Luthor had learned that you catch more flies with honey flavored poison than you do with anything else, and it's that personal motto which had allowed him to wheel and deal his way to becoming the CEO of his own corporation, Lexcorp, at the age of only twenty-five. That, plus his preternatural aptitude for science; chemistry and engineering in particular, along with having come from one of the wealthiest families in the Midwest. Now forty years old, Lex had honed his mind, body, and bank account to the point where they reflected exactly what he wanted them to about himself. He seemed to have it all, but the one thing he didn't have was hair.

Lex frowned about this as he looked at his reflection in the small hand mirror he kept in his desk drawer, but he was quickly brought to attention as, presently, the large double doors of his luxurious office opened and in stepped a small old man in a dark suit and blue tie.

"Arthur," said Lex, putting the mirror away and standing up.

"Lex. Good to see you, old friend," said the man with a heavy British accent.

The two shook hands and embraced the way old professional friends do.

"Please, sit down," said Lex, motioning to the two leather chairs in front of his desk.

The old man did so. His name was Arthur Tressler and much like Lex he had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth which, as he grew older, had only been replaced with a gold, diamond, and even platinum one as he continued to get richer and richer through wise investments and heading his own multi-national insurance company, Tressler Insurance. Arthur Tressler was a man who garnered fear and respect from everyone around him and Lex knew this, but he also knew that due to some recent unfortunate events Tressler was at a large disadvantage to himself, so even though he was over thirty years the man's junior he looked upon Arthur Tressler like he was one of his low level employees even as he smiled his empty smile at the man.

"What can I do for you this evening, Arthur?" he said, as he himself sat down behind his desk.

"I've never been one to beat around the bush," said Tressler. "So I'll come right to the point. No doubt you have heard about my recent, and rather public… incident."

"Indeed I have," said Lex. He leaned back in his chair, touched the tips of his fingers together, and looked upon Tressler with thoughtful eyes. He better not be here to ask me for money, he thought to himself.

"A quartet of thieves posing as magicians, taking advantage of my trust and philanthropic nature, has swindled me out of not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of dollars of my personal money," Tressler continued. "And they did it in front of a paying audience."

Lex didn't bat an eyelid. This was information he knew already and then some. He didn't have a meeting with someone without doing thorough research about that person's most recent activities beforehand and in this case he had had a special morbid interest in the specifics to begin with.

"Terrible," he said, "Just terrible."

Arthur Tressler glanced down for only a second, in shame, Lex thought. He knew this man would not have showed such weakness to anyone he did not consider his equal.

"I assume you were insured of course," said Lex.

"Of course," said Tressler. He stood up and began to pace. "It's not really about the money. Between my company and the stock market and personal investments I've already made back a quarter of what I lost. It's the principal of the thing. It's that my good name… my _companies_ good name was dragged through the mud by a bunch of low rent con artists."

Lex had never seen Tressler rant like this. He had always been so sure of himself, so cool, so in control. He had never needed to rant. Lex watched the old man work himself up into a frenzy and smiled.

"There's all that, plus… plus nobody steals from Arthur Tressler and gets away with it!" said Tressler, pointing his finger at Lex in emphasis.

"I completely see where you're coming from, Arthur, and I know I'd feel exactly the same way if I were in your shoes," said Lex. "But why exactly have you wanted to meet with me today? What do you think I can do for you?"

Tressler breathed heavily.

"You and I go way back-" he began.

"Yes, you've insured many of my projects. Even the more… questionable ones," said Lex. "The ones no other firm would touch, but I still don't-"

"Like I said, you and I go way back and in all the time I've known you you've always managed to come out on top even when you and your company have been exposed and humiliated left and right."

Lex wasn't liking Tressler's bluntness, but he couldn't exactly deny such charges when they were coming from a man who knew better than anyone the more unethical endeavors of Lexcorp.

"I've had 'incidences' myself, it's true," said Lex, patiently.

"Yes, and I know you know some colorful characters as well," said Tressler. A tinge of desperation suddenly entered his voice, which only made Lex calmer and more smug.

"I've dealt with some extreme individuals it's true," he said.

"And it is people like that whom I need to help me," said Tressler.

"I'm afraid I don't follow," said Lex, following just fine.

"I want… payback," said Tressler. He was done mincing words. "I want… revenge. And the proper authorities are useless. These criminals think they're untouchable with their magic tricks and fancy gimmicks, well if that's the case then I'm going to have to fight fire with fire."

"Aha," said Lex. He stood up himself finally and turned away from Tressler to face out one of the large windows that made up the walls of his office. "So what you need basically is someone magical."

"I need someone powerful," said Tressler. "Someone who can not only beat them at their own game, but destroy them at it."

"In that case I think that I can help you after all," said Lex. "I know a guy, who knows a guy, who can find any kind of guy you can imagine. But, Arthur, it will cost. It will cost us both I imagine."

"Money is no object," said Tressler, walking over to where Lex was.

"Let's just hope it only costs us money," said Lex, turning to meet him.

"So will you help me with this?" asked Tressler.

"For an old friend, I will," said Lex with a smile that indicated there was more to his readiness to agree to help someone than met the eye, but Tressler was too blind to see it.

"Shall we shake on it?" said Tressler.

Lex held out his hand and the old man took it.

"I hope this partnership works out," said Tressler. "The last person I allied myself with against The Four Horsemen turned out to be something of a disappointment."

"I'm sure everyone involved will get exactly what's coming to them," said Lex.

The two business men stood in front of the large office window shaking hands as in the distance the sun began to set behind the skyline of the city of Metropolis.


End file.
